Electrical connecting clamp assembly



April 14, 1964 At F. BARTON ELECTRICAL CONNECTING CLAMP ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. l2, 1960 FIG. 2.

INVENTOR. ARTHUR F. BARTON ATTOR N EYS April 14, 1964 A. F. BARTON 3,129,279-

ELECTRICAL CONNECTING CLAMP ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. l2, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EL 56 www )n/7 Y )gm/7 ATTORNEYS United States PatentCce 3,129,279 Patented Apr. 14, 1964 3,129,279 ELECTRICAL CONNECTING CLAMP ASSEMBLY Arthur F. Barton, Harlan, Ky., assigner of one-fourth to J. Crawford Boston, Harlan, Ky. Filed Feb. 12, 196i),` Ser. No. 8,452 Claims. (Cl. 174-43) The present invention is an electrical connecting clamp assembly and has for an object to provide an yall purpose assembly capable of lfacile, and expeditious engagement with one or more main electric power lines which is, or are, adapted to be placed in circuit with multiple service lines.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an` assembly slidably engageable with one or more power lines, held trom displacement by detachable means, the assembly being also adapted for slidable engagement with multiple service lines also held from displacement by detachable means; to provide an assembly adapted to receive yand detachably hold multiple electric wires, varying in diameter, without in any way modifying the assembly; to proh vide an assembly engageable with Ia main power line and service lines without the use of .a solder or like uniting agent; and to provide an assembly which is relatively inexpensive, the body being molded or extruded in aluminum, copper or an alloy of both. The electr-ical connecting clamp assembly of this invention is `an improvement on the electrical connecting device of my copend-ing application, Serial Number 653,145, tiled April 1-6, 1957, which eventuated in Patent No. 2,924,640, issued February 9, 1960.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from rthe following description of the present` preferred forms of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. yl is a perspective structed in accordance with this invention illustnating its application;

FIG. Y2 is an elevational View of one side of the assembly illustrating its application as applied to a power line land service wires;

FIG. 3 isa similar view looking at the opposite side of the assembly;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the same, one of the shanks of the U-bolt being shown in cross section;

FIG. 5 is la sectional View taken on the l-ine 5--5 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows;

1FIG. 6 is also a cross sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the assembly illustrating an application of the invention different from that shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. y8 isa vertical sectional view of the assembly with power lines only secured lin the housing;

'-FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one of the pressure bolts with the nuts removed therefrom;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational View of ya modified lform of the assembly illustrating its application with a power line;

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 11-11 of FIG. 10; and

IFIG. l2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken through the boxing Iabove the pressure plate.

To illustrate the application of this invention, there is shown in FIGS. l and 7 of the drawinl a pole 15 of an electric power installation system to which standard brackets 16 are attached, each carrying ya conventional insulator 17. A main power line 18 is suspended by the insulator 17 on one side of the pole 15, as shown in FIG. l. The insulator on the opposite side of the pole is also adapted for suspension of a power line, in the modified applicaview of a clamp assembly contion shown in FIG. 7. Service conductors or wires 19 are also suspended by the insulators 17 in any suitable inanner, such as by stningers `20. Each of the service wires 19 includes a ilexible connection 21 with a coupling 22, to each of which latter one of the s-tringers 20 is anchored. The free end of each `flexible connection 2.1 is secured in a `clamp assembly, generally designated 23.

The clamp assembly comprises a one-piece elongated body 24, which, in the form of invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending internal channels 25 and a pair of external channels 26, all chan-nels being coextensive with the length of the body. Each of the channels 25 is open through a tapered slot 27, as advantageously shown in FIGS. 546` and 8. A pair of pressure bolts 28 lare mounted in each of the channels 25 and a pressure plate 29 adapted for engagement in each of the channels 26. Each of the bolts 28, as shown to advantage in FIG. 9, includes an elongated head 60, the outer margins of which issue into laterally extending arcuate pressure parts or wings 31, the inner face of each win-g being concave, as indicatedy at 32, and adapted for the reception of the free terminals of certain of the flexible connections 21. The heads 30 ofthe bolts 28` areA adapted for longitudinal sliding engagement in `the lchannels 25 for the purpose of 4urging the wings into compressive engagement with connections 211, when a nut 33 on each of the threaded shanks of the bolts 28 is tightened. The said shank of each bolt extends outwardly through one of the tapered slots 27 and through an oval-shaped opening 3-4 Iformed in a curved plate 35` which latter spans the top of each of the slots 27 and is coextensive with the length of the body 24. The cross sectional shape of the plate 35 conforms tothe shape of the top and bottom of the body 24 and is adapted to be in contiguity with the llatter when the nut 33 of each bolt is secured. The tenminals of each plate issue into tapered tabs 35 which are bent inwardly at right angles. The t-abs interdit .the tapered slots 27 of the body 24, after the fashion shown in FIG. 1, vto automatically align the plates 35 and close the ends of the slots 27. By making an ovahshaped or long slot for each bolt shank to pass through, I have found that wires of varying diameters may be used in opposite sides of each ofthe channels 25, the concave inner face of each wing automatically yadjusting itself to the diameter lof the Wire `so that the wires are held in positive compression.

Each of the pressure plates 29 is adapted to span the transverse extent of one of the open channels 26 and, as illustrated, particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, are secured approximately midwayA the ends of the body 24 by a U- bolt 36, the closed end of the U lying in a complemental recess 37 in one of the pressure plates 29. The opposite pressure plate is provided with openings 38 through which the threaded shanks of the U-bolt 36 pass, said shanks being equipped with nuts 39. The ends of each pressure plate 29 extend toward the opposite ends of the body 24 but fall short of said ends. The inner wall of each of the plates 29 is extended along its axis to provide a pressure rib 40, the inner face of which is concave, as shown at 41, to conform to the contour of power lines 18. One of the pressure plates 29 on each side of the body is provided with beveled terminals 42 to reduce the size, weight and cost of these plates to a minimum. Each of these plates is provided with shoulders 43 on opposite sides of its rib 4i), which is adapted for snug engagement with the side of the body 24 when the open channel, on the side of the body in which the rib of the pressure plate 29 is mounted, is not power line loaded, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

-In the modication shown in FIGS. l0, 11 and 12, a body 24 is used, one terminal of which is provided with channels 25 and 25" and the opposite terminal provided with a channel 26. In this form of the invention the exible wire connections 21 are adapted for engagement in passageways 44, the latter being in communication with a flared mouth 27 of the channel 25".v The channels 25 and 26 may be used for the reception of main power lines. The channel 26 is formed in the base 45 of the body 24 being connected to the latter by a web 46. The base 45 is mounted in a boxing 47, the upper ends of which are curled inwardly to provide flanges 48, the free margins of which are rounded for engagement with complemental recesses in the top of the base 45 at its juncture with the web 46. Mounted in the bottom of the boxing 47 is a pressure plate 29 which is enlarged along its longitudinal axis to provide a rib 40', the top of the latter being concave, as shown at 41', to conform to the contour of the line 18. A bolt 39 is threaded through the bottom of the boxing 47 and engaged with the pressure plate 29' to urge and retain the latter in engagement with the power line 18, as illustrated in FIG.` 1l. If desired, the lateral margins of the plate 29 may be extended to provide lugs 4S wrapped around the terminals of the boxing. In use of this form of the invention, assuming the power line to be' secured under pressure on the boxing 47, the service wires are forced through the mouth 27 of channel 25 into the passageways 44 and pressure then exerted by suitable conventional means to "close the mouth 27 until the service wires have been positively secured in the passageways 44. The same procedure is followed in inserting the power line or service wires in the channel 25.

In use of this invention, particularly the form illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 9, inclusive, an all purpose electrical connecting clamp assembly is provided for electrical installations, in that the assembly is adapted for use with one or more power lines of the same potential and phase and with multiple service lines. The power lines are mounted in the channels 26 formed in the sides of the body when the latter is used in the position shown in'the drawings with the power lines running horizontally in parallel relation. A quarter of a turn of the body, in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, may be used with power lines in vertical alignment. The body here shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 is adapted toaccommodate eight service wires or lines, four` being inserted in each end of the body and clamped into'position by the pressure bolts 28 when the nuts 33 of said bolts are threaded on the Shanks into engagement with the plates 35.l It has been found that this provides a practical expeditious means for connecting a main power line or lines or so-called secondary conductors to multiple service wires going into installations or any kind of electrical services, if desired.

While I have herein shown and described preferred embodiments ofmy invention, it is nevertheless to be 4 understood that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An electrical connecting assembly for placing electric wires in circuit with power lines, including a one-piece body of conducting material with longitudinally extending internal channels and external channels, longitudinally coextensive with the length of said body, and pressure members adjustably mounted in the channels for exerting restraining forces on the electric wires and power lines, each of the pressure members of the internal channels comprising a bolt having an elongated head, the outer margins of which head issue into laterally extending arcuate pressure parts, said head being located in an internal channel, adapted for the reception of the free terminals of the service wires, Vand Vmeans engageable with the outer terminal of each bolt and the body for tightening said pressure parts against the service wires.

2. An electrical clamp assembly, as set out in claim 1, with the addition of a pressure plate between said means and said body.

3. An electrical clamp assembly, as set out in claim 2, wherein each of the internal channels is open through a slot, through which slot the bolt passes, the slot to each internal channel being tapered and the terminals ofV each pressure plate issue into tapered tabs which interiit the tapered slots to automatically align said pressure plate and close the ends of the tapered slot.

4. An electrical clamp assembly, as set out in claim 3 with the addition of a bolt member extending through said body proximate said external channels, and spaced pressure plates carried by said bolt member, said pres sure plates being adapted to span the channels, the inner walls of said plates being extended inwardly to provide pressure ribs engageable with the power lines,.and means engageable with said bolt member for frictionally retaining the power lines in the extended channels.

5. An electrical clamp assembly as set out in claim 4,

Vwherein said bolt member is of` substantially U-shape, one

of said pressure plates being carried by the transverse portion of the U-shaped bolt member-and the other of said pressure plates is mounted between the free terminals of the bolt member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ASSEMBLY FOR PLACING ELECTRIC WIRES IN CIRCUIT WITH POWER LINES, INCLUDING A ONE-PIECE BODY OF CONDUCTING MATERIAL WITH LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING INTERNAL CHANNELS AND EXTERNAL CHANNELS, LONGITUDINALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH THE LENGTH OF SAID BODY, AND PRESSURE MEMBERS ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED IN THE CHANNELS FOR EXERTING RESTRAINING FORCES ON THE ELECTRIC WIRES AND POWER LINES, EACH OF THE PRESSURE MEMBERS OF THE INTERNAL CHANNELS COMPRISING A BOLT HAVING AN ELONGATED HEAD, THE OUTER MARGINS OF WHICH HEAD ISSUE INTO LATERALLY EXTENDING ARCUATE PRESSURE PARTS, SAID HEAD BEING LOCATED IN AN INTERNAL CHANNEL, ADAPTED FOR THE RECEPTION OF THE FREE TERMINALS OF THE SERVICE WIRES, AND MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH THE OUTER TERMINAL OF EACH BOLT AND THE BODY FOR TIGHTENING SAID PRESSURE PARTS AGAINST THE SERVICE WIRES. 